Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 12.6.62
Ūti· What drives us to actOffering Penance While Belittling Others
“Once Yājñavalkya, one of the disciples of Vaiśampāyana, said: O master, how much benefit will be derived from the feeble endeavors of these weak disciples of yours? I will personally perform some outstanding penance.”
What the purport teaches
- Yājñavalkya was one of Vaiśampāyana’s disciples and addressed him as his master.
- He questioned how much benefit would come from the other disciples’ endeavors, calling them weak.
- He offered to perform outstanding penance himself, contrasting his proposed effort with theirs.
Try this today
When offering help today, state what you can do without criticizing another person’s ability.
Ask yourself
Do I sometimes offer to help in a way that belittles someone else’s effort?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
From Canto 10, chapter 14 onward, the translation and purports were completed by Śrīla Prabhupāda's disciples after his departure, and published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.